


Fusion

by arielgryffinpuff



Series: Cosmos and Chaos [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst and Hugs, Gen, Hints at Steve/Tony, M/M, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Reunions, Tony needs to be held
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 11:45:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18387803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arielgryffinpuff/pseuds/arielgryffinpuff
Summary: Tony returns from space.It's all so different now.But that moment, when you come home. When you're safe. When you're in their arms.





	Fusion

**Author's Note:**

> Does kinda follow on from last work in the series, but could be read as a stand alone.

TONY dragged his feet across the grass, swallowing thickly in the moist air. It felt nice though, breathing in the trees, compared to that of the other planet, or the spaceship. Refreshing.

Nebula had a hold on his arm and was pulling him along a bit, since he was quite slow. He tripped over a root.

He scowled as he nearly fell down and he dropped the metallic container he was holding in his arms, but Nebula yanked him back up, and he breathed heavily. He tried to shake her off and bend back down to pick it up.

It hasn’t worked.

There was barely anything inside it.

“No, no…” he moaned, scraping at the leftover ashes, “it-it’s not -here, he’s not here-“

He was pulling out of Nebula’s arm and she let him fall to the ground. She then grabbed his collar and made him look into her eyes.

“That’s because he’s gone. They’re _all gone_ ,” she said cuttingly, as he looked sort of horrified at her. She lifted the makeshift container and tipped it out as he protested, but only a few ashes remained. The rest had disintegrated.

“It’s- it’s my fault,” Tony said, tears in his eyes, “I was meant to pro-protect him, _I_ was meant to stop this! He’s been in my head since the Chitauri invasion, I should have done something sooner, I, I-“

“Are you that wrapped up in your own head that you think only you going have stopped _Thanos_?” She said scathingly, narrowing her eyes, as he looked at her again, gritting his jaw, “if anyone, it should have been me. I was _so_ close to ending his pathetic life, I had him, but it didn’t work, and he went back to pulling me apart again, and again. I’m mostly machine because he had a daughter who he doted on and I was a plaything he could rewire and _punish_ for not being good enough, and now I’m alive and she ISN’T!” She huffed and pushed Tony down. “This was all him. And you need to _pull yourself together_.”

She looked at him, as he looked at the ground on shame, sadness and guilt, and realised he couldn’t bring them back. They’re just gone. Who knows how many else there were that had just disappeared. Dead. They’re dead. He’s dead.

\--

Tony was actually feeling _slightly_ energetic, but only in nervous anticipation of meeting the others again. His wound had mostly healed, and he and Nebula were arriving at the Avengers Compound. Where his friends were. He was going to see them again. In this bleak new world, where everyone would be grieving and thinking what they could have done. But they still had each other.

He swallowed as the door of the small jet opened, not very far from the back entrance to the compound, and he noticed the sun streaming across the ground and a slight wind, as he stepped out, with Nebula behind him. Several people rushed over to him at once.

So much has happened in the few days, or weeks, since he doesn’t quite know the time difference in space, since he last saw them.

The first thing he notices at once is it’s Pepper with tears spilling over her eyes, coming over to crush him in a tight grip. He hugs her back and he’s already crying.

“Pep, Pep-”

“I know, I know, Tony, oh God, I thought you – I thought you were gone,” She cried back, and sobbed into his shoulder. He breathed in her familiar smell, and was reminded of his mother again, the only person other than Pepper who showed they loved him like this, and all his emotions were bubbling over the top at once.

“I tried – I tried-” But his voice broke, and he couldn’t get the words out.

“Shh, it’s okay Tony.”

She rocked from side to side for a little while, and then she stepped back and gave him a watery smile. Tony could see from the other side that there was that raccoon Nebula had mentioned, and he looked as if he was about to cry. Tony wasn’t really surprised by anything at this point, even if that may be a sentient, talking raccoon.

“Tony.”  
Rhodey.

He was swept into a hug and relaxed into it, as he saw the other avengers standing round, and the scene between the raccoon and Nebula, with Thor appearing behind him.

“None of them?” The raccoon whispered, and Nebula looked down. “They’re all gone.”

Nebula nodded, and the raccoon started crying, and weeping. Thor found this distressing as well, he must have known them, and started to comfort the raccoon. Tony closed his eyes to the pain into Rhodey’s shoulder. When he let go, he looked at him, made sure he was okay.

“I’m so glad you’re here, Tones, you have no idea,” Rhodey said emotionally.

“You too, buddy,” Tony replied. He was glad to see the others here as well, looking solemn but well. He saw Natasha smile at him, and he nodded and smiled back. Then Bruce was there and he patted him on the elbow.

“It’s good to have you back,” Bruce said, nodding. Tony smiled and nodded back. Bruce didn’t say anything about who wasn’t with them, which he was grateful for. Then Steve came up, and Bruce gave them a little space.

Tony had no idea what to say. He found he couldn’t say much. He was just – uncharacteristically at a loss for words.

Steve was doing that sad-eyebrows thing and swallowed, as he looked up from his lashes at Tony. He was sporting a beard. Interesting.

“I – I know it – it’s been a while,” Steve started. Tony nodded, still emotional, as he wiped his face with his hand. Steve’s voice cracked; “I’m so glad you’re here, I wouldn’t know what to do without you-”

Tony nodded, “I know.” Tony looked him in the eye and stepped forward into a hug, which Steve sighed into of relief, and hugged Tony tightly.

Tony could have stayed like that, in this embrace, with the sun on him, feeling warm and whole, forever. But everything was so messed up. Why did it have to be this way?

“I missed you,” Steve whispered to him, behind his ear.

“Yea,” Tony mumbled.

“I’m sorry,” Steve said.

“Me too.”

Steve rubbed his back in a comforting way, and Tony felt slightly better; he was home, after all.


End file.
